Who Were They?

Even though this is an outdoor photograph, looking a lot like a snapshot, it was mounted on bristol board and bears a photographer’s mark. The embossed mark indicates Hornick was the photographer, from Johnstown, PA. Johnstown, PA was the site of a terrible flood in 1889 that claimed the lives of over 2000 residents in the valley. What today would be recognized as corporate greed, failure to take accountability, and a general disinterest in “the little people” contributed to the failure of the South Fork Dam, which created Lake Connemaugh for the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club – which counted among its members the wealthy, businessmen and captains of industry. Click over to Map of Time, where there is a great summary of the terrible day. For a gripping and more extensive narrative, look into The Johnstown Flood, by David McCullough.